Various types of packages, including those that employ a flexible, collapsible, pouch-type container (i.e., a pouch), are used for holding and dispensing a product, especially a fluid product. Such packages, including packages employing a pouch-type container, typically include a removable cover, cap, or overcap to initially prevent ingress of contaminants. More particularly, the package may include a closure assembly that has a projecting neck or spout through which the product can be poured, imbibed, or otherwise removed, and on which the overcap is initially installed. A pouch or carton type package typically has a closure assembly that includes a fitment for being sealed to the pouch or carton wall, and the fitment has an outwardly projecting spout through which the pouch contents can be discharged and which is adapted to receive a removable overcap for initially closing the spout. The fitment typically has an exterior male thread on the spout for cooperating with a female thread on the inside of the overcap.
Typically, the fitment and overcap are initially made separately by a manufacturer who can provide them to a packager or filler either as separate components or screwed together to create a closed closure assembly. The separate components or the completed closure assembly are subsequently provided to a packager or filler for completing the manufacture of the package.
In one method for making a flexible, collapsible, pouch-type package, the pouch is initially formed with an open top end, and while empty, is sealed at its open top end to the fitment component of the closure assembly prior to installation of the overcap. Subsequently, the pouch can be filled with product through the fitment open spout, and then the overcap can be installed in a closed condition on the fitment spout.
In an alternate method for making a pouch-type package—which is preferred when at least the closure assembly is to be sterilized (or otherwise cleaned)—the packager or filler employs a “form, fill, and seal” operation to first form the pouch with an open top end, then fill the pouch with product through the pouch open top end, then insert the closed closure assembly in the pouch open top end, and lastly seal the top end of the pouch around the closed closure assembly.
In some cases, a packager or filler may what to sterilize or otherwise clean the closure assembly before installing the closure assembly on the container. Some packagers or fillers typically clean or sterilize the packaging components (including a closed closure assembly) in a cleaning chamber (which may be, or may include, a sterilizing chamber) wherein a cleaning gas or sterilizing gas (e.g., hydrogen peroxide gas) flows through the chamber in contact with the packaging component or components.
The inventors of the present invention have observed that a closed closure assembly (comprising a fitment with a projecting threaded spout having a threaded overcap initially mounted thereon) can be difficult to clean and/or sterilize in a cleaning system, including a hydrogen peroxide gas sterilizing system. The inventors of the present invention have determined that it would be desirable to provide an improved spout and overcap configuration for facilitating such cleaning.
The inventors of the present invention have further determined that it would be advantageous to provide an assembly of a fitment with a projecting spout and a mating overcap that together would readily accommodate cleaning, especially hydrogen peroxide gas sterilization, in a way that would result in enhanced cleaning or sterilization of the assembly—preferably a level of cleaning or sterilization sufficient to receive approval of a government body (e.g., the United States of America federal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”)) for use with food or pharmaceutical products.
Closure assembly components are typically molded from polyethylene or polypropylene. Such a closure assembly can be installed by heat sealing the assembly to a polyethylene or polypropylene laminate layer of the pouch walls. Typically, the pouch also includes a laminate layer of metal foil which reduces the permeation or transmission of atmospheric oxygen (or other gases) through the pouch wall so as to minimize or reduce adverse effects of the oxygen (or other gases) on the product in the pouch. Such adverse effects depend on the nature of the product, and can include undesirable changes in the product color, for example, or other characteristics.
Over time, oxygen (and/or other gases) can also pass from the external, ambient atmosphere through the wall of a closure spout and/or through the wall of a closure overcap, and then ultimately adversely affect a product in the package. The inventors of the present invention have observed that a closure assembly having a relatively long neck or spout would present an undesirably large wall area through which oxygen (or other gases) could pass and possibly adversely affect the product in the package.
The inventors of the present invention have also determined that it would be desirable to provide a spout with a length sufficient to readily accommodate a person's mouth, including lips, during drinking from the container spout. Additionally, the inventors of the present invention have determined that it would be especially advantageous to provide a fitment spout and mating overcap with a structure that would minimize, or at least reduce, the portions of the spout and overcap that are in communication with the product so as to minimize, or at least reduce, the permeation of oxygen (and/or other gases) which, over time, could have an adverse effect on the product contained within the package.
The inventors of the present invention have also discovered that it would be desirable to provide an improved spout and overcap that has been configured so as to exhibit one or more of the following attributes, features, or advantages:                A. component configurations that can be manufactured and/or assembled without excessive difficulty or excessively complicated operations, and        B. component configurations that can be manufactured and/or assembled without excessive cost.        